Retail sales rise 0.1% in January

Retail sales increased ever so slightly in January, up 0.1%, according to the tally from the U.S. Census Bureau released Wednesday morning.

The data show advanced estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $416.6 billion. While the figure was essentially flat compared with the prior month, it’s up 4.4% compared with January 2012.

Retail trade sales were up 0.1% from December 2012 and 4.1% above last year. Nonstore retailers were up 15.7% compared with January 2012.

In the home channel’s overarching 444 NAICS classification of building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers, January sales were an estimated $25.031 billion. That’s up 0.3% from December 2012, and up 2.0% from January 2012.